Abstract
Communication departments seek faculty who strengthen programs yet frequently confront a mismatch between recruitment hopes and retention realities. This article explains how limited candidate pools, affirmative action pressures, and inconsistent hiring processes complicate selecting colleagues who will thrive and earn tenure. Once appointed, new professors often describe their early years with metaphors of endurance rather than excitement, citing confusion, isolation, heavy expectations, unclear criteria, and budget anxiety. Administrators commonly underestimate these stresses. Six strategies are presented to bridge the gap between administrative intentions and faculty experiences. Regular orientation meetings clarify procedures and build peer support. Reduced teaching and targeted service protect scholarship time. Formal mentoring links novices with experienced guides. Travel funds and early research grants signal institutional investment. Periodic review of tenure guidelines addresses bias and shifting disciplinary priorities. Finally, thoughtful probationary evaluations offer concrete feedback. Implemented together, these initiatives nurture balanced, productive careers and reinforce departmental stability overall.
Recommended Citation
Borisoff, Deborah
(1992)
"Recruiting and Retaining New Faculty in Communication,"
Association for Communication Administration Bulletin: Vol. 81, Article 1.
Available at:
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/aca/vol81/iss1/1
